World Cup 2026: An Unexpected Turn of Events

Haiti’s chances of advancing officially ended after a 0-3 defeat to Brazil in the second round of Group C. Matheus Cunha scored twice, while Vinicius Junior netted the other goal, securing a convincing victory for Brazil. Earlier, Morocco had beaten Scotland, forcing Haiti to pick up points against Brazil to stay in contention.

After two matches, Haiti remains pointless and goalless. Even if they defeat Morocco in their final group game, the Caribbean representative will still be unable to overtake Scotland due to an unfavorable head-to-head record.

Group C currently sees Brazil and Morocco tied on 4 points, Scotland with 3, and Haiti at the bottom with 0 points, officially eliminated.

Also on the morning of June 20 (Vietnam time), Turkey became the second team to exit the tournament in the group stage. Vincenzo Montella’s side lost 0-1 to Paraguay, with the only goal scored by Matías Galarza.

This result means Turkey has lost both of their first two matches in Group D, having previously fallen to Australia. Although they still have one game left, the team has no chance to compete due to their losses in direct encounters with both Australia and Paraguay.

In Group D, the United States leads with a perfect 6 points. Australia and Paraguay each have 3 points, while Turkey sits at the bottom with 0. Turkey’s early elimination is considered one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far. Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, the team was regarded as a strong candidate for a knockout-stage spot, boasting many stars playing at top European clubs such as Arda Güler, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, and Kenan Yıldız. However, consecutive defeats to Australia and Paraguay have turned the European representative into one of the first major disappointments of the competition.

Thus, after two rounds of group matches, Haiti and Turkey are the first two teams officially eliminated from the 2026 World Cup. In the coming days, the list of teams bidding farewell to the tournament will continue to grow as the group stage enters its decisive phase.